Following in the footsteps of Paul O’Connell and Sean O’Brien, Munster and Ireland flyer Keith Earls has decided to sign a new deal with the IRFU and stay put for another two years.
Earls had been in great form for his province before retiring with injury in the first half of Munster’s Heineken Cup victory over Edinburgh on Sunday and given his versatility and performances for both Munster and Ireland in the past, it is a huge boost for both that the 26-year old has opted to stay where he is until at least the summer of 2016.
Commenting on his new deal, Earls said: “I am delighted to sign a new IRFU contract and to continue representing my province. This Munster team has shown it has what it takes to compete with the best in Europe and I look forward to playing my role in bringing further success to both Munster and Ireland.”
Munster Coach Rob Penney, meanwhile, added: “We are delighted that Keith has signed a new IRFU contract which will see him remain a Munster player until the end of the 2016 season. Keith is an exciting player whose speed and acceleration can cause havoc for opposition defences. As a senior member of the squad he will play a huge role in the future success of the province.”
Securing Earls’ medium-term future is the latest in a series of positive developments for the IRFU, who also tied Paul O’Connell and Sean O’Brien down to new contracts in the last week.
All attention now turns to the future of Jamie Heaslip, with the most recent reports from France suggesting that, like Sean O’Brien, he too is leaning towards resisting the advances of Toulon in favour of staying where he is. Fingers crossed, Leinster fans.
